Ian Cooper kicked the first ever goal at Moorabbin in 1965, not far from a spot where his family had once camped. In a retrospective poll by a team of experts, Cooper was voted best on the field in the
1966 VFL Grand Final, which St Kilda won. It was St Kilda's first and (as of 2024) only VFL/AFL premiership by a margin of one point over
Collingwood. Cooper's VFL career was cut short by
rheumatic fever. In 1970 and 1971, Cooper played for
Swan Districts in the
West Australian National Football League, and was a
Western Australian state representative player. although he was passed in the finals by
Jim 'Frosty' Miller. Altogether, Cooper played 56 games for Sandringham between 1972 and 1975, and kicked 282 goals. His older brother
Graham played for
Hawthorn in the early 1960s, appearing in that club's first premiership team. ==Death==